She always did her best thinking when she flew. It wasn't the best day for such a flight, of course: it had dawned bright and cold, though remarkably free of the blanketing clouds that had been the staple of this Frostfall. The frigid air did not bode well for those of the sky, for they relied on the warm updrafts that accompanied the warmer months to soar easily. At this time of year, flight was accompanied by heavy wingbeats and rapid strokes, an overall workout that was not only tiring but also awkward to observe. Nonetheless, it did her good to stretch her wings, and she wanted to take advantage of her freedom before she joined Rowan in the Dragon's Throat.

Would she miss her outcast lifestyle? She rather hoped not - she had agreed to join a herd because Rowan had convinced her it was a life worth having. But still, she wondered if she would still be allowed to roam as she pleased. Would she even want to? She turned into the wind, flapping hard; she wished for the easier flights of Orangemoon, then let instinct take over. When she arrived at her destination - the Endless Blue - she smiled and turned, riding an air current that always existed where the sea breeze met the land. It may be weaker at this time of year, but it was there nonetheless, and it allowed her to glide in a much more graceful fashion.

She was hit with the sudden urge to land, and she banked sharply. It was the most exhilarating part of her flight: she dove, hurtling for the ground, folding her wings tight against her bodice. At the last moment, she flung them out; wind bunched, straining against the outstretched appendages, slowing her momentum as she steadied herself. Her hind legs hit first, followed by her front, merging smoothly into a canter. She flicked her wings up, out of the stream of air, and as she slowed, she settled them against her. It was a relaxed, loose arrangement, and when she settled into an easy walk along the water's edge, the wind tossed her mane and tail, teasing strands into a playful dance along her nape, sending feathers fluttering. She would set them straight later, but for now, it was almost a relief to feel the chilled air.

[W/C | 392]